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Career Management Expert Molly Green will provide advice to professionals who want to raise their level of influence in their area of expertise, stand out in a crowded market and ultimately create new career opportunities for themselves in this webinar.

Have you seen an exciting lecture on a topic relevant to the E&P industry? Help us identify the best lecturers for the 2017–2018 season by nominating a colleague today. Submit your nomination by 15 March.

Now until 15 February, the Society of Petroleum Engineers is accepting nominations for outstanding work in the E&P industry. Take this opportunity to help your dedicated colleagues get the recognition they deserve. Visit the Awards page for more information.

“Big data combined with smart people and smart software is proving to be very powerful.” (Jeff Spath, 2014 SPE President; JPT January 2014)

What is “big data”? The term “big data” refers to more than simply a large volume of different types of data, both structured and unstructured, with varying degrees of accuracy. It also includes a suite of applications providing solutions and analysis — a data-­centric method adept at uncovering otherwise invisible patterns and connections by linking disparate data types.

Large volumes of data are nothing new to the oil and gas industry. With the continued world-wide expansion of Intelligent Digital Oilfield (DOF) assets and projects, coupled with the exponential growth in the volume and complexity of acquired data, the industry needs to rapidly adapt to a new generation of technology and processes.

Permeability is one of the most fundamental reservoir-rock properties required for modeling hydrocarbon production. However, the ultrafine pore structure of shale-gas reservoirs (pore-throat radii in the range of 1 -200 nm) cause the violation of the basic assumptions behind Darcy’s law. Depending on a combination of pressure-temperature conditions, pore structure and gas properties, non-Darcy flow mechanisms such as Knudsen diffusion, and/or gas-slippage effects will affect the matrix apparent permeability. Additionally, formation compaction and the release of the adsorption gas layer will affect the matrix apparent permeability during reservoir depletion.

Mechanisms that alter shale-matrix apparent permeability during production

The fully coupled unconventional reservoir simulator developed in this study provides a comprehensive tool to investigate the combined real-gas nanoflow mechanisms and rock deformation effects on the matrix apparent-permeability, as well as the long-term productivity of hydraulically fractured shale-gas formations.

Conclusions from this research work are:

Matrix apparent permeability in a shale formation is not only determined by the non-Darcy flow / gas-slippage behavior but also by the intrinsic permeability within the nanopore structure.

Shale-matrix permeability derived from core samples at laboratory conditions needs to be correlated to reservoir conditions cautiously due to the extreme sensitivity of factors to the pore radius.

While geomechanical effects (formation compaction) can temporarily dominate the matrix apparent-permeability evolution during the early-production stages, these will be offset by non-Darcy flow / gas-slippage behavior and gas-desorption effects and matrix apparent-permeability will start to increase due to pressure depletion.

Impaired productivity in fractured shale formations during depletion is most-likely caused by reduction in fracture conductivity, rather than reduction in matrix permeability.

The gradual release of the molecular adsorption layer has a significant impact on the matrix apparent-permeability evolution for small pore radii.

Matrix apparent-permeability evolution during production can make a difference in well performance and long-term shale-gas production – even with the presence of a conductive natural-fracture network.

SPE Forums are unique, by-invitation-only SPE events that bring together top technologists, innovators, and managers to address a specific industry challenge. Participation in a forum builds a professional network that will enhance a career for a lifetime. Participants are encouraged to come prepared to contribute their experience and knowledge, rather than be spectators or students.

The objective is to create a collaborative, idea-generating arena that stimulates new ideas and innovation about future challenges facing the E&P industry.

Who should participate?

Experienced professionals who want to exchange ideas with others in your area of technical expertise. Forums offer an exclusive opportunity to interact with innovators, seasoned professionals, and leading technologists.

Young professionals with relevant experience and knowledge of the forum topic. Forums are a window on the future that belongs to the next generation of professionals.

Application Information

Participants at SPE Forums are selected by the Forum Steering Committee based on the ability to contribute to the discussion of the topic. Attendance is limited to maximize each person’s opportunity to contribute. For more details: SPE Forums